Page 926 - middlemarch

samond, with a little turn of her neck. ‘But I have heard you
express your disgust at that way of living.’
‘Yes, they have bad taste in everything—they make econ-
omy look ugly. We needn’t do that. I only meant that they
avoid expenses, although Wrench has a capital practice.’
‘Why should not you have a good practice, Tertius? Mr.
Peacock had. You should be more careful not to offend peo-
ple, and you should send out medicines as the others do. I
am sure you began well, and you got several good houses. It
cannot answer to be eccentric; you should think what will
be generally liked,’ said Rosamond, in a decided little tone
of admonition.
Lydgate’s anger rose: he was prepared to be indulgent
towards feminine weakness, but not towards feminine dic-
tation. The shallowness of a waternixie’s soul may have a
charm until she becomes didactic. But he controlled himself,
and only said, with a touch of despotic firmness—
‘What I am to do in my practice, Rosy, it is for me to
judge. That is not the question between us. It is enough for
you to know that our income is likely to be a very narrow
one— hardly four hundred, perhaps less, for a long time
to come, and we must try to re-arrange our lives in accor-
dance with that fact.’
Rosamond was silent for a moment or two, looking be-
fore her, and then said, ‘My uncle Bulstrode ought to allow
you a salary for the time you give to the Hospital: it is not
right that you should work for nothing.’
‘It was understood from the beginning that my services
would be gratuitous. That, again, need not enter into our